We are a group that prior to 22nd Novemeber had never met before. A few of us had been to the 'induction' event at the 'hub' in London in October, though by the time we regrouped in Calcutta there had been sadly one dropout and several new members. So how do we get on? Well by and large fantastically well. We are very diverse, with different experiences which have influenced all of us and the one area in common is thta here we all are together in India!
The power and strength of the group was amazingly well illustrated today. Lee had been feeling unwell and was much missed when she needed to spend a day or two in bed. Then this morning a late breakfast as it was Sunday. There we were talking together & eating together and suddenly Lee walked into the breakfast area, it was almost a surreal expereince, as a group we were all so pleased to see her, she was looking better and there was usch an emotional bond that you could feel! What an amazing experience this trip has been and thankfully Lee is well on the mend. Sunday evening here and our last organised visit tomorrow.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
The value of words and actions
Since arriving in India 8 days ago, our group has engaged with a tremendous range of individuals, each with their own interpretation of the words "social" and "enterprise".
For me, it has been a roller-coaster of emotions, opinions, discussions and evaluation plus an incredibly steep learning curve since much of the language used has been alien to my background working in product-led marketing and communications.
I have learnt so much in a short space of time about India, its people, and culture, its vast social issues and traditions, economic challenges, bureacracy and daily frustrations with simply getting anything to happen. I have even managed to understand the complex world of micro-finance, micro-credit and all those other "gorgeous" words that seemed so alien until my very patient travel companions explained their significance to the world of social entrepreneurship.
Inspite of the multitude of unique experiences and the opportunity to learn a new language, there has been something worrying me. A constant question about what does all this mean and how can we start to process the energy, enthusiam and passion that we have been so privileged to witness.
This feeling started to fade this evening when we visited the highly prestigious Indian Business School, located in impressive grounds in Hydrabad. After yet more words about the value of social enterprise and the challenges facing today's change-makers, I witnessed a poignant moment between one of our group and a highly motivated but, in my opinion, confused social entreprener we had met earlier today. Names aren't important for this story, as the individual in our group who spoke these powerful words will recognise them:
"I would like to offer you one hour of my time every month in order to mentor you".
The look on the face of the social entrepreneur who received this simple but concrete offer was certainly one of the highlights of my journey.
For me, it has been a roller-coaster of emotions, opinions, discussions and evaluation plus an incredibly steep learning curve since much of the language used has been alien to my background working in product-led marketing and communications.
I have learnt so much in a short space of time about India, its people, and culture, its vast social issues and traditions, economic challenges, bureacracy and daily frustrations with simply getting anything to happen. I have even managed to understand the complex world of micro-finance, micro-credit and all those other "gorgeous" words that seemed so alien until my very patient travel companions explained their significance to the world of social entrepreneurship.
Inspite of the multitude of unique experiences and the opportunity to learn a new language, there has been something worrying me. A constant question about what does all this mean and how can we start to process the energy, enthusiam and passion that we have been so privileged to witness.
This feeling started to fade this evening when we visited the highly prestigious Indian Business School, located in impressive grounds in Hydrabad. After yet more words about the value of social enterprise and the challenges facing today's change-makers, I witnessed a poignant moment between one of our group and a highly motivated but, in my opinion, confused social entreprener we had met earlier today. Names aren't important for this story, as the individual in our group who spoke these powerful words will recognise them:
"I would like to offer you one hour of my time every month in order to mentor you".
The look on the face of the social entrepreneur who received this simple but concrete offer was certainly one of the highlights of my journey.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Anjali
ANJALI
Ratna, founder of ANJALI, an NGO dedicated to help the mentally ill, know how to tell story. Ratna started this project after she found out the horrifying condition of mental hospital in India. For a mental ill person, your social right is immediately being deprived once a doctor diagnosed you are mentally ill. Your husband could seek for divorce, your property right immediately cease to exist, you do not even have the right to legally defend yourself as the court believe you are not capable to do so. For 80% of Indian family, the way to solve the problem of having someone mentally ill at home is to take their mentally ill relative and get them admitted into a mental hospital and then disappear. They simply discard their problem-their son or daughter...
For the medical profession, mentally ill has to be treated with electrification, beating and drug treatment until they "behave". The resource government has devoted for this sector is negligible consider almost 5% of the total population in west Bangel has mental illness. They have a total of 3000 psychiatrists, 1000 nurses... At the front line, abuse is very common, both physical as well as sexually. Those who do not conform face the punishment of shutting in isolated cells until they conformed.
It is very emotional when you hear how family members discard their son and daughter and leave them in these crazy hospitals. To watch how desperate these eyes of those kept patients is even more terrifying. But here they are, waiting forever for their family member to take them home, begging every visit to help them find their family. We visited the hospital and experience their deep desire to talk to visitors. I toke some pictures for some of them and show the pictures to some of the patients. The emotion encounter is hard to describe but their big smile on their face is unforgettable.
ANJALI has only little resource. They do not accept any funding from their government to preserve their independence being a critic. TATA foundation is their donor and their 6th year maximum support period is approaching. Difficulty in solicit donation for mentally ill is huge as it is perceived as a small problem. We are worrying for ANJALI but Ratna is all optimistic, charging ahead with their youth program (Lotto), women support program, etc
When challenge why they are so enthusiastic helping those patients day after days and week after weeks, they tell me a small story. Patients quite often are found feeding one of the inmates to eat if one of them refuses to eat. They say when they see this kind of HUMAN QUALITY among the mentally ill, how could they give up on helping. I was totally touch by the word of HUMAN QUALITY as this phase did not appear on any of my school books nor in any of the many books that I study in order to get ahead of others. The whole education system and whole social norm teach us that if we are ahead, that is because you are better, stronger, faster and smarter.... I remember the bible teaching of "God make you strong because he want you to take more responsibility to help others" May be the beauty of Human quality are the true driving force supporting us to tackle social injustice head on to change the world!
Patrick
Ratna, founder of ANJALI, an NGO dedicated to help the mentally ill, know how to tell story. Ratna started this project after she found out the horrifying condition of mental hospital in India. For a mental ill person, your social right is immediately being deprived once a doctor diagnosed you are mentally ill. Your husband could seek for divorce, your property right immediately cease to exist, you do not even have the right to legally defend yourself as the court believe you are not capable to do so. For 80% of Indian family, the way to solve the problem of having someone mentally ill at home is to take their mentally ill relative and get them admitted into a mental hospital and then disappear. They simply discard their problem-their son or daughter...
For the medical profession, mentally ill has to be treated with electrification, beating and drug treatment until they "behave". The resource government has devoted for this sector is negligible consider almost 5% of the total population in west Bangel has mental illness. They have a total of 3000 psychiatrists, 1000 nurses... At the front line, abuse is very common, both physical as well as sexually. Those who do not conform face the punishment of shutting in isolated cells until they conformed.
It is very emotional when you hear how family members discard their son and daughter and leave them in these crazy hospitals. To watch how desperate these eyes of those kept patients is even more terrifying. But here they are, waiting forever for their family member to take them home, begging every visit to help them find their family. We visited the hospital and experience their deep desire to talk to visitors. I toke some pictures for some of them and show the pictures to some of the patients. The emotion encounter is hard to describe but their big smile on their face is unforgettable.
ANJALI has only little resource. They do not accept any funding from their government to preserve their independence being a critic. TATA foundation is their donor and their 6th year maximum support period is approaching. Difficulty in solicit donation for mentally ill is huge as it is perceived as a small problem. We are worrying for ANJALI but Ratna is all optimistic, charging ahead with their youth program (Lotto), women support program, etc
When challenge why they are so enthusiastic helping those patients day after days and week after weeks, they tell me a small story. Patients quite often are found feeding one of the inmates to eat if one of them refuses to eat. They say when they see this kind of HUMAN QUALITY among the mentally ill, how could they give up on helping. I was totally touch by the word of HUMAN QUALITY as this phase did not appear on any of my school books nor in any of the many books that I study in order to get ahead of others. The whole education system and whole social norm teach us that if we are ahead, that is because you are better, stronger, faster and smarter.... I remember the bible teaching of "God make you strong because he want you to take more responsibility to help others" May be the beauty of Human quality are the true driving force supporting us to tackle social injustice head on to change the world!
Patrick
Parrjak
Parrjak www.prasjak.org
Deep is a devoted young men who finished his MBA and work two years in business and then decide to switch his career to social enterprise. After a small unpleasant moment, his family supports him by allowing him to use the first floor of their house as office for PARRJAK.
Start out with a mission to work his organization out of the picture, Deep adopt a strategy of always putting government institution at the center stage for any achievement. By doing that, they also put the obligation back to the government to ensure the program works. Deep believe to partner with government and utilize their resource is critical for changing the unjust situation for child abuse problem. Without a clear mission and strong desire to focus into the well being of the child, it will be difficult to come out with the same strategy.
I wish more young man and woman could find their satisfaction and passion through Social enterprise. I wonder whether today's world of opportunity in business and public sectors are still encouraging enough to get all the energy and passion out of the hidden capacity somewhere....
Patrick
Deep is a devoted young men who finished his MBA and work two years in business and then decide to switch his career to social enterprise. After a small unpleasant moment, his family supports him by allowing him to use the first floor of their house as office for PARRJAK.
Start out with a mission to work his organization out of the picture, Deep adopt a strategy of always putting government institution at the center stage for any achievement. By doing that, they also put the obligation back to the government to ensure the program works. Deep believe to partner with government and utilize their resource is critical for changing the unjust situation for child abuse problem. Without a clear mission and strong desire to focus into the well being of the child, it will be difficult to come out with the same strategy.
I wish more young man and woman could find their satisfaction and passion through Social enterprise. I wonder whether today's world of opportunity in business and public sectors are still encouraging enough to get all the energy and passion out of the hidden capacity somewhere....
Patrick
AWWD
Association for Women with Disabilities (AWWD) www.awwdindia.org
Watching a group of disable women rehearsing their drama play inside this hollow structure of the fountain inside a park is a powerful statement to endorse Dus's strategy of empowering disable women to fight for their own right and rebuild their confidence to make a living for themselves.
When one is faced with the illiterate, disabled women without any esteem of themselves, thinking their committed sins in the past life is why they are what they are, how could someone figure out this approach for the organization. Dus, herself also handicapped, started association for women with disabilities after failing to convince the NGO she worked for to tackle on this area of marginalized disabled women. She also chose to start the project in rural areas all by herself. It was tough as building trust with the villages is difficult and consumes a lot of time and energy. After being accepted by the villagers, they told her where the girls with disabilities are. Typically they stayed home because of lack of accessibility.
The first approach to these DW is personal development. After these DW realize being disable is not shameful and they are just another human being they also have their own right, then Dus will encourage them to find opportunity to do some income generation job. AWWD also extend small credit to whom she might need some small capital to start. The DW themselves must decide what to make, where to sell and how they could make money out of the activities. With their improved economic situation, they gain more acceptance and respect from their family. These DW regain their confidence and have the potential to receive more training from AWWR until they could be leading other unfortunate DW to improve their livihood.
Here is another good example of devotion and extreme passion to help those who suffer from the same problem. Dus also show exceptional quality in her Vision and leadership in training and grooming the whole new generation of leaders out from DWs. The big smiles from those DW make humanity shine.
Patrick
Watching a group of disable women rehearsing their drama play inside this hollow structure of the fountain inside a park is a powerful statement to endorse Dus's strategy of empowering disable women to fight for their own right and rebuild their confidence to make a living for themselves.
When one is faced with the illiterate, disabled women without any esteem of themselves, thinking their committed sins in the past life is why they are what they are, how could someone figure out this approach for the organization. Dus, herself also handicapped, started association for women with disabilities after failing to convince the NGO she worked for to tackle on this area of marginalized disabled women. She also chose to start the project in rural areas all by herself. It was tough as building trust with the villages is difficult and consumes a lot of time and energy. After being accepted by the villagers, they told her where the girls with disabilities are. Typically they stayed home because of lack of accessibility.
The first approach to these DW is personal development. After these DW realize being disable is not shameful and they are just another human being they also have their own right, then Dus will encourage them to find opportunity to do some income generation job. AWWD also extend small credit to whom she might need some small capital to start. The DW themselves must decide what to make, where to sell and how they could make money out of the activities. With their improved economic situation, they gain more acceptance and respect from their family. These DW regain their confidence and have the potential to receive more training from AWWR until they could be leading other unfortunate DW to improve their livihood.
Here is another good example of devotion and extreme passion to help those who suffer from the same problem. Dus also show exceptional quality in her Vision and leadership in training and grooming the whole new generation of leaders out from DWs. The big smiles from those DW make humanity shine.
Patrick
Parichiti
Parichiti
Today we visited two NGOs. Parichiti is devoted for helping domestic workers and Praajak is devoted for protection of children's right.
Four professional and business women came together for promoting women's right in west Bengal. They pick domestic workers as the group that need help the most. They went out of their comfort zone and spent huge amount of time and patient to build the trust with this community before they could successfully establish "Room to rest" for the domestic workers. The rental place provides the toilet which is normally not permit to be used at workplace. It also gives them a place to chat, rest and socializing between works at different locations. Parichiti also provide legal help and support when domestic workers are faced with violence either at home or at workplace.
Certainly the key members are very devoted but it seems to me that something is still missing. For the two NGO founders we met yestarday, they all came from the community themselves. (Mentally ill or being a lesbian) We see the passion and the devotion and bonding within the group. I guess if the NGO could work on capacity building on domestic workers and make them in charge on some of the programs, I think the impact would be bigger.
This visit convinces me further passion is the key to success to SE.
Patrick
Today we visited two NGOs. Parichiti is devoted for helping domestic workers and Praajak is devoted for protection of children's right.
Four professional and business women came together for promoting women's right in west Bengal. They pick domestic workers as the group that need help the most. They went out of their comfort zone and spent huge amount of time and patient to build the trust with this community before they could successfully establish "Room to rest" for the domestic workers. The rental place provides the toilet which is normally not permit to be used at workplace. It also gives them a place to chat, rest and socializing between works at different locations. Parichiti also provide legal help and support when domestic workers are faced with violence either at home or at workplace.
Certainly the key members are very devoted but it seems to me that something is still missing. For the two NGO founders we met yestarday, they all came from the community themselves. (Mentally ill or being a lesbian) We see the passion and the devotion and bonding within the group. I guess if the NGO could work on capacity building on domestic workers and make them in charge on some of the programs, I think the impact would be bigger.
This visit convinces me further passion is the key to success to SE.
Patrick
Association For Women With Disabilities
Close your eyes and imagine you are a woman in a society where you are considered to be much less important than the men in your family. Now imagine you are also very poor, in a country where there is no educational, health or monetary support from the government. Add to that; imagine you are disabled and living in a distant village where even the fully able find it difficult to fulfill their basic needs.
Can you survive a day, a week or even a month that way? How about your WHOLE life?.....
1) A social enterprise founder who has faced the same problems as those of their beneficiaries, is often more passionate and driven than a founder who has never personally experienced similar issues. This passion is a great advantage in getting others to join your cause or provide resources.
2) However, this passion can also hinder the growth of the social enterprise, as the founder is too emotionally attached to let go and allow other, more skilled people to take over senior management responsibilities. I’ve seen this problem in many NGOs which have failed to scale up because of the dominance of the founder.
3) Often as visitors to a project, we tend to mainly speak to the social enterprise founders and keep to ourselves when we meet the beneficiaries. We often do not introduce ourselves and do not interact on a one to one level with them. At the AWWD visits, we broke our self imposed barriers and interacted with the beneficiaries. I personally found it to be one of the richest experiences of the trip. Sometimes it’s the people the most unlike you, who can teach you the most.
4) Both sets of the girls we met agreed that our leader, Richard would make a fine Bollywood film hero. There was great competition among them to be chosen as his heroine. Richard’s ears turned a deeper shade of red than usual :-).
To learn more about the AWWD, check out their website at http://www.awwdindia.org
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